Medieval Christianity - Essay Example

Critically Medieval It is clear that the history of the Church is a bloody one. Conflicts have risen due to different beliefs propagated within the institution. This conflict had its roots on the practices and administration of the church leaders. Being a social construct of man, there is a need to have a thorough deliberation on what has been the problem of the institution and tries to draw a clear connection and synthesis between the social, historical and religious contexts. These issues, when assessed, should give an understanding of the struggles of the church as an institution that helps people and advocates spiritual development. Heresy, as a religious phenomenon, best describes the condition provided by the first text entitled David of Augsburg: on the Waldensians of Bavaria. It is clear in history that heresy has beclouded the minds of people about religion during the Reformation period. Heretics are staunch questioners of almost every doctrine of the Catholic Church. During that time, it is inexplicable that heretics swayed people on to their side since religion has monopolized the power and control over the political and social aspects. It is said in the text that “because they presumed to interpret the words of the gospel in a sense of their own, not perceiving that there were any others, they said that the gospel ought to be obeyed altogether according to the letter; and they boasted that wished to do this, and that they only were the true imitators of Christ” suggest clearly that heretics have no right to question the authority of the especially in interpreting the holy scriptures (Augsburg 149). This happens because the church leaders believe firmly that they have authority to conduct teachings. This happens because they want to avoid inconsistencies with the beliefs of the people. However, there should be a consideration on the part of the heretics since some of them are actually pointing out the wrong attitudes of the church. Based on the aforementioned scenario, the subjectivity of faith or religion is undermined given that the authorities assert that there is only one way of reading the bible instead of giving chances to people to relate with it. This happened because the dark ages indicated already that church has the power and strict compliance is a must. Instead of the church leaders being guides to the practice of faith, they have become tyrants that dictate the subjective condition of faith. The text, in general, shows portrays the social turmoil that is going on. There is autocratic rule of the church. He is pointing out that all heretics are wrong. This may be considered true. There is an extreme assertion here about faith being an innate human emotion and condition (Augsburg 149). Also, the text points out that there are indeed inconsistencies that made the heretics deal with it. At the same time, the text is can be considered satirical in nature because of an attempt to delineate heresy with inconsistencies especially when they mentioned the sacrileges and contradictions between the sacred scripture and the saintly wisdoms (Augsberg 149). Also, there is an implication about being exclusive on the part of the church and on education. This reflects, in totality, that the medieval condition of the church complicated the function of social institutions and instilled conflict amongst other people that resulted to bloodshed. On the second text entitled On the Pastoral Office by John Wycliffe, the context that befits it is still the Middle Ages and the unjust and horrendous practices that happened during that time. How is this so? The text mentioned something about evil acts or perversion with the devil lingering among the ranks of rulers during the time (Wycliffe 185). This opens up to the synthesis that there are indeed abuses and injustices on the masses perpetrated not just by rulers but also of the church who exercise control over them. This shows that it is indeed the church who proclaim holiness in their words are the ones who exercise the negative actions that led to the social turmoil mentioned in the preceding paragraphs. At some extent, the church leaders, who declare themselves holy, are the ones who become heretics because of their acts which are pointed out the heretics they are excommunicating. The text also provided the problems and inconsistencies with the social practices that time. The text has indicated that the rulers or the lords, not the Lord they are referring to, benefit the fruits of labor of the needy ones which resulted to further astray (Wycliffe 185). This clearly showed that there is dire poverty happening despite of a centralized feudal system. Also, the text asserted that the church, being an abode of faith and haven for sustenance of spiritual beliefs, became an entity engaging in profit-oriented projects (Wycliffe 185) and point out to the problems of using indulgences on the part of the Church leaders to supply their lavish living instead of assisting people in improving their living conditions in a holistic manner. The text inevitably questions the relevance and role of the church the same as the heretics like Martin Luther who inevitably battled the wrong notions propagated by the church. This also leads to a condition that the faith of those who believed in the church and wants to improve its image which is geared towards betterment are executed and excommunicated. This scenario has provided an implication that the church authority cannot be put into question and they must be followed even it their acts start to become problematic and gruesome for the people. It shows that they are covering up their wrong acts and fooling the people back then. In the end, both texts worked out on the common problem with the church; fulfilling its role and significance as an institution which must preserve the welfare of the people and encourage holistic spiritual development. The text constantly mentioned heresy and other problems that the church has been involved and its failure as an institution to engage and provide adequate solutions to these predicaments. The first text provided the problems with the heretics not having authority (Augsburg 149). The other pointed the evil practices of the church leaders (Wycliffe 185). People must engage the condition that if the church leaders did not do the problematic acts, then there will be a strong chance that the people, who questioned, presumably, the heretics, will not react and retaliate against these actions. There will be no resistance if there are no conditions that complicate further the things that have been detrimental. Both texts have fulfilled in identifying the problem. Though pointing out different issues, they have been successful in providing the facts or situations that people must know and understand about religion. It is not just a matter of fully professing one’s own faith and ideal beliefs but also living it up. There is nothing wrong for an inquiry as long as its aims are for the betterment of the common. At the same time, the texts have been successful in pointing out the failure on the part of the church to concretize solution rather repressing the retribution of the heretics with violence. If the church is indeed after preservation of humanity under one god, then they should not have propagated these. They wanted human to be more humane based on the teachings of their deity but they have not been successful of living up the humane part. They have been more inhumane and unjust. Both test have provided and opened up such analysis despite dealing with several contexts, issues and condition which can still be used in assessing the modern day church. WORKS CITED Augsburg, David. On the Waldensians of Bavaria. Heresy and Authority in Medieval Europe. 149 – 150. Wycliffe, John. On the Pastoral Office. Late Middle Ages. 185 – 187. Read More